The Special Days
by secretscribe89
Summary: A compilation of "Davis Family" stories highlighting those special moments in life and how they spend them together.
1. Mother's Day: Part I

**A/N: I'm baaaackkk... LOL. I have a new treat. I get really fed up, as most Davis girls fans do, with the lack of good family scenes on the show. Just the simple ones- birthday, holidays etc... So, I decided to do this compilation that will include little stories that depict these family moments that we are not privy to on the show. It will run in line with what is happening on screen... but be an addition- missing scenes, if you will. Kristina is included in this venture- as played by lexi Ainsworth- in a more mature, new and improved kind of way. **

**As always, I appreciate feedback, so if you are reading- please take a moment to let me know what you think. It makes the writing that much more fun! :) **

**I hope you enjoy! **

**p.s. formatting might be a little bit off... went between my computer and my iPad a couple of times. **

**A Davis Girls Mother's Day**

Part I

"Ahhhh!" The skeptical scowl on Danny's face told it all as he kicked his bare feet in the air.

"I know, baby… just a minute…" Alexis brushed her hair back with her free hand and waitied for Molly to finish the preparation.

"Nah, nah, nah, nah!" He kicked his legs again, causing his aunt to duck in an effort to protect her head.

"Danny!" Molly laughed, "Hold on a second!"

"Whose idea was this anyway?" Alexis rolled her eyes as she struggled to hold onto her grandson's squirming body.

"Okay… Here…" Molly pushed the small tray of soft clay in front of Danny and her mother, as she pulled out the directions and began to read. "Now, just put both feet in here… and it says stand putting moderate pressure for one minute."

"One minute?!" She watched her mother's eyes widen as she carefully stood Danny in front of her who looked down at his feet curiously, before looking back to her with the same curious expression. Alexis couldn't help but laugh, "Does that feel funny?"

Molly watched as Danny squished his toes in the clay, "Oh! Um… Danny I don't think you're supposed to do that…"

"Oh, Daniel…" Alexis laughed, watching as Molly places her hands on top of both of the baby's feet, "This is not going to go well. Hold still, baby."

"Naaahhhh," The baby squealed again, followed by a series of giggles.

"You're such a good boy," His grandmother cooed, kissing his cheek, "If we ever get this done… mommy is going to love it!"

"If we ever get it done…" Molly sighed, still trying to keep Danny's feet in place.

"How much longer?"

"Thirty seconds," Molly met eyes with her mother, "And to answer your question, mom, this was your idea."

"Yes, well I wanted to do simple finger prints and hand prints with paint. You were the one that found this magnificent clay molding kit that is so easy and do it yourself!" She mocked with a smirk.

"Which you also thought was a great idea!" Her daughter protested as the alarm went off on her cell phone, "Okay, you can take them out now!"

"All done!" Alexis enthused as they carefully removed Danny's now clay covered feet to reveal the deep imprints, "Oh… look at those little feet! Look at your footsies, there!"

"They aren't that little…" Molly chuckled. "Okay… now it's time for the hands!"

"Okay, Danny. Almost done." Danny met her with another scowl as she wiped off his feet, "Don't give me that look, mister. You remind me more and more of your daddy every day..."

"I love when he makes that face," Molly chuckles, pinching his cheeks to bring out a giggle, "You're doing so good! It will be all worth it when we are done because your mommy is going to love this. Okay, ready… now we have to do the same amount of time for your hands."

"You're right, she will love it." Alexis smiled to her daughter as she sat down with Danny in her lap and they carefully placed his hands in the fresh clay, prompting another curious look from the boy, "good thing we have aunt Molly to read the directions, otherwise you and I would have been trying to do this all day."

"That's because your grandma doesn't like to read directions," Molly cooed to her nephew, bringing about a narrow eyed gaze from her mother.

"Be careful. And I think its safe to say that this is a two-man job here, keeping this squirmy bug in place," She kissed his cheek repeatedly, to which he giggled before the timer went off again, "Yay! All done!"

"Good job, Danny!" Molly praised her nephew as they removed his hands and she took the tray over to the oven.

"See… this is all too much like baking." Her mother commented as she took Danny to the sink and proceeded to clean his feet and his hands. "I don't bake."

"I know…" Molly began cleaning up the supplies with a roll of her eyes, "I think Danny even knows that."

"Oh, do you?" Alexis smiled brightly as she tickled his belly, "Do you know all about my non-existent cooking skills? That's because your mommy doesn't have any either."

"That's because you two don't have any patience to learn…"

"Or the desire, thank you very much. That's why I have you!" Alexis kissed her daughters head before finishing to dry Danny off and then set him on the floor to play with his toys that were in the corner. "There you go… You're free. Play and be merry, little one."

"I think we did a pretty good job! At least they look like hands and feet instead of blobby little craters." Molly and Alexis exchanged glances and fits of laughter.

"Yah I don't think blobby little craters would have had the same touching effect..." She kissed her head, wrapping an arm around her youngest daughter, "Thank you for your help, sweetie."

"You're welcome," Molly smiled, allowing her mother to hug her tightly as they watched Danny play with his blocks in the corner.

"Hello?" Kristina's voice rang from the hall.

"We're in the kitchen!" Alexis answered over her shoulder as she took a seat at the table, smiling when her middle daughter appeared, "Hi sweetie."

"Hey," Kristina smiled, leaning over to kiss her mother's cheek before spotting her nephew looking at her with curious eyes, "Danny! I didn't know you were here!"

"Yes, he's spending the day with us. And we were working on a little project." Her mother smiled, watching as Danny stood with his block in hand and took a few steps toward his aunt before she scooped him up.

"You are getting so big!" She cooed as she kissed his cheeks, "You're just walking all over the place now!"

"Tell aunt Krissy maybe if she was home once and a while she would be able to see you more…" Molly chided, prompting a scolding glare from her mother.

"Sorry, Molly, that I have to go to prison every day…"

"Okay, girls. Let's not talk about prison in front of your nephew," Alexis reminded softly as she rose from her seat and headed to the refrigerator.

"Just the cold hard truths of life, stud muffin," Kristina chuckled before kissing his cheek and looking back to her mother, "Well… what's Danny doing here, anyway? Where's Sam?"

"Your sister is working," Danny gladly accepted his sippy cup as his grandmother handed it to him.

"Oh?" Kristina was surprised, "On a Saturday night? But it's her birthday..."

"Yes, I know… something with Carly… I don't know exactly what it is. But she had to go to New York so Danny is spending the night with us." Alexis smiled, running a hand along the toddler's soft hair.

"You get to spend the night at Grandma's! Yay!" Kristina enthused, "We can watch movies and eat popcorn together!"

"Oh, now that's my idea of a good time…" Alexis winks.

"I was hoping Sam would be here today... I wanted to give her her present." Kristina frowned.

"Shoulda come to breakfast..." Molly clearly was annoyed by her sisters absence at Sam's birthday breakfast that morning.

"Molly..." Her mother gave warning to her mumble.

"What's in the oven?" Kristina asked as she took a seat at the table with Danny in her lap.

"Our project…" Molly smiled, getting up to check on their masterpiece. Prompting Kristina to throw her mother a confused look.

"I wanted to do something special for Sam for her first mother's day…" She smiled, "So Molly and I helped Danny put his hand and foot prints in clay and now we're baking it."

"Awe!" Kristina kissed her nephew's head, "That's so sweet. She's going to love it!"

"I think she will too." Alexis smiled as she rose from her seat and lifted Danny from Kristina's lap, "Come on, baby. Lets go take a bath. Then maybe we can take aunt Kristina up on her movie offer, huh?"

"That sounds great to me…" Molly chuckles slightly, watching as her mother and nephew walk out. She leans in to Kristina, "Did you get it?"

"Yes… It's so perfect." Kristina was beaming, "I can't wait for tomorrow morning!"

"Me either," Molly smiled weakly before getting up to retrieve the clay creation from the oven.

"Mol?" Kristina looked at her sister curiously.

"Yeah?"

"You okay?" She watched her little sister carefully as she practically moped back to her seat, "what's wrong?"

"T.J. And I broke up..."

"What? Molly, why?"

"He's a jealous jerk, that's why!" She spat back before retreated back into her seat while looking wistfully at her phone, "he acted completely out of line."

"Did he hurt you? Beacause if he put a hand on you I swear I will..."

"No! No, it wasn't me that he hurt..."

"What are you talking about?" She studied her sister carefully before realizing, "oh, no..."

"Yeah... Remember how I left my phone at Kelly's last night?" Her sister nodded, "well, T.J. Found it... And took it upon himself to answer a text message from Rafe telling him to meet me at Kelly's."

"But you weren't there..." Kristina concurred.

"Right... So then when Rafe got there T.J. confronted him about kissing me..."

"What?! Rafe kissed you?!" Kristina looked as if her eyes were going to pop from her head.

"Yeah, but it was a misunderstanding, really. It wasn't a big deal... Rafe and I are just friends and he knows that now." She quickly reassured.

"Okay, so how did T.J. find out?"

"I told him," Molly stated matter of factly, "I was trying to be a good girlfriend and be honest with my boyfriend "

"But Molly..."

"No, Kristina. I should be able to tell TJ the truth and have him handle it appropriately."

"So wait..." Kristina thought back, "what did TJ do exactly?"

"He punched Rafe in the face," Molly watched her sisters surprised reaction, "yeah, exactly. He gave Rafe this horrible black eye..."

"So you broke up with him."

"Yes! That was a terrible thing for him to do!" She defended.

"No, Molly... You did the right thing. I give you a lot of credit for standing up to TJ."

"But you don't think I should have dumped him..."

"I didn't say that either!" Kristina protested, "I just think that maybe you made a quick decision in the moment and you might regret it later..."

"Yeah it wouldnt be the only quick decision that I made..." Molly sheepishly looked back to her phone.

"Uh oh..."

"I told TJ that I was taking Rafe to prom." She watched her sisters eyes widen again.

"Oh."

"I was watching Danny before mom got home fom work this afternoon and Rafe came over to apologize again for everything which I told I'm was completely unnecessary... And I gave him a hug. Because we are friends! And stupid TJ showed up and started going off about how Rafe and I were already together after we only broke up this morning and blah blah blah..." She sighed, "so I blurted out that Rafe and I were going to prom together."

"When did you decide that?"

"Right before I said it."

"Oh, I see..." Kristina smiled, "so now you're _trying _to make TJ jealous."

"No!" Molly protested but quickly shrunk, "okay, so I guess in that very moment I was..."

"It's okay you know... You don't have to always be perfect. But... Does Rafe know why you asked him?"

"Listen, I really do want to go to prom with Rafe! We are friends... He's such a great guy and he doesn't know that many people."

"Okay..." Kristina smiled, "then just go to your prom and have fun. Don't worry about TJ or whatever reasons may have brought you to this conclusion."

"Thanks..." Molly smiles to her sister before her face falls, "please don't say anything to mom or Sam about this... I don't want to deal with it anymore."

"Okay."she gave her sister a reassuring done, "Hey, since Sam's out of town tonight, where is Rafe?"

"He's staying at the penthouse... Sam will be back late tonight but she didn't want to disrupt Danny's schedule."

"She's such a a good mommy..." Kristina smiles as she gets up to see the clay mold sitting on the cunter, "oh my god... These are so cute. Happy Mother's Day, Mommy -love, Danny!"

"Mom wrote that in the clay..." Molly adds as she joins her sister, "Isn't it perfect?"

"Yeah... It is. Sam's going to love it. And moms going to love our present." Kristina wraps an arm around her sister, "tomorrow will be a good day..."

"I hope so..." Molly sighed, resting a head against her sisters shoulder.

"And tonight we get to have Davis girls movie night..."

"And Danny!" Molly reminds her sister with a smile.

"Oh yes. Plus Danny..." She agrees fondly.


	2. Mother's Day: Part II

**A/N: Good Evening readers! Here is the next part to this first story in what I hope to be a large compilation! So far, after this there is one more part to the Mother's Day story. **

**Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed! I'm glad you like this idea and I hope you will continue to enjoy them. :) **

Part II

"Okay, are you sure you don't mind?" Sam asked the person on the other end of the line as she made her way onto her mother's porch, "thank you, Lucy. I think it will help Rafe to be with someone who knew his mom and can share memories of her... Okay, see you then. Goodnight." As she hung up the phone and quietly let herself in the front door, she melted at the sight in front of her.

There was her family, seated on the sofa. Danny sleeping soundly in his grandmother's arms, who was also asleep with her head resting atop Molly's as Kristina and Molly slept on either side of them. Making her way into the living room, she picked up the remote to turn off the television.

As quiet as she was being, Alexis was a light sleeper and sensed movement. A sleepy smile graced her face when she opened her eyes and found her eldest daughter standing in front of them, "Hi, honey."

Sam swiftly turned to the voice, echoing the sentiment, "Hi... You guys look pretty cozy."

"We are," Alexis replied softly as Sam ran a hand along her son's head, "this one here tried to hold out until the end but he just couldn't make it. Molly and Kristina were out long before he was."

"Typical," Sam laughed, taking a seat on the coffee table across from them.

"I thought you were going to go home tonight?" Her mother questioned quietly.

"Well, I was... But then Lucy called and said that Rafe was going to stay with her so that they could take flowers to his mom's grave tomorrow morning."

"Oh, that's sweet..." Alexis smiled. Lucy may be a little eccentric, but she had an enormous heart and Alexis was glad that she was there for Rafe, "so I suppose now you want to take my baby home with you, huh."

Sam couldn't help but chuckle at the pout on her mother's face, "I don't think I could even if I wanted to... He looks awfully comfortable."

"He is. And so am I." Her mother smiled, "and it just so happens that I put fresh sheets on your bed this morning when I made Danny's."

"Oh, really?" She raised a brow, amused by her mother's not so clever hint, "I am pretty tired... And I think you might need some help getting these girls into their beds..."

"They only want to be babies when they fall asleep on the couch..." Alexis chuckled as Danny stirred slightly, rubbing his face further into her shoulder.

"I'm not sure why you even made his bed... Looks like he plans on staying right where he is."

"And that's okay, too," She kisses her grandson's head as Sam watches fondly, "so did you get everything figured out with Morgan?"

"Yeah," Sam sighs, "Sonny and Shawn ended up finding him..."

"Uh oh..."

"Yeah, kind of." She looks away, "I got a little distracted."

"By?" Alexis watches as her daughter looks away and then back up with a reassuring smile, "Honey?"

"Nothing," she shakes her head, "did you tell Kristina and Molly about Morgan?"

"No, actually I thought it would be better for them not to worry... They will find out soon enough" Alexis rolled eyes, "never without drama in this family."

"I know..." She paused with a smile, "thank you for watching him tonight..."

"Are you kidding me?" She grinned, "You don't ever have to thank me for that. I love having this baby boy in the house. I'm just sorry you had to spend your birthday working…"

"It's all right," Sam shrugs, "Just another day."

"Well, you may feel that way but it's never just another day for me…" Alexis smiles through the tears that begin to fill her eyes, "It's my very first baby's birthday. May 11th has been a special day for me every year for the past 33 years."

"Mom…" Sam smiles lovingly, "Well, thank you. It's just not the same this year."

"I know, baby…" Alexis empathized with her daughter. She knew how hard the first holidays and birthdays were after losing a loved one, "You must be missing Jason so much today."

"Yeah," Sam nodded, "It helped to be busy… even though I basically failed."

"What? You didn't fail. You set everything in motion to try and find Morgan."

"Yeah, I guess…" Sam kept her focus on her baby boy, mindlessly straightening the blanket that was covering his lower body.

"Sam, is something else bothering you?" Her mother could sense that there was more to Sam's melancholy attitude than just a lonely birthday.

"No… it's just been a long day." She smiled weakly. "I hope Danny wasn't too much trouble…"

"Oh, this one? Trouble?" Alexis cuddled him lovingly, "Not in a million years."

"I'm so lucky... I really wouldn't be able to do any of this without you guys..." Tears sprang to her eyes as they met her mother's.

"I don't think that's true at all. But luckily, you'll never have to worry about that." Clasping a hand with her daughter's, she brings it to her lips for a kiss, "You are amazing. You're an amazing mother, an amazing sister... and an amazing daughter. Don't you ever forget that."

"Thanks, mom..." She smiles at the compliment and watches as both of her sisters snuggle a little further into the sofa. "Here, let me take Danny... I'll put him to bed while you put your little babies to bed."

"Okay, honey," chuckling slightly she shifts to hand Danny to his mother only to be met by a tight clasp of his hands around her neck, "Danny... Mommy's here and she wants to hold you."

Sam watches as her son opens an eye to find her standing before him with her arms open, "Hi, sleepy boy..." She smiles when he finally releases his grip and allows her to lift him into her arms. "Mommy missed you!"

"Goodnight, my baby. I'll see you in the morning." After placing a kiss to his forehead, Sam looked up from resting Danny in his crib to find her mother standing in the doorway. With her hands resting behind her back and a soft smile upon her face, Sam quickly noticed the way her eyes were glistening.

"Hey..." She smiled as she made her way to meet her mother, "I thought you went to bed?"

"No, I just had to go to my room to get something."

"Oh... Are the girls in bed?"

"Yes, finally. Grumbling all the way," Alexis shook her head, "I should have just let them sleep on the sofa."

"Probably should have..." Sam watches as her mother hold out her arm. "What?"

"Come on... Let's go to your room so we don't wake Danny..."

Sam looked at her skeptically but followed the direction and they headed into her room. A smile crossed Sam's face when her mother switched on the light to reveal her freshly made bed that was turned down, awaiting her arrival. Together they took a seat on the edge before Alexis suddenly was holding in front of her a banded pile of envelopes.

"What's this?" Sam accepted them.

"Um..." Her mother drew a deep breath and chuckled at the sudden flood of emotions that were plaguing her, "I've wanted to give them to you so many times before... It just... It was never the right time." She paused, meeting her daughter's eyes, "They're letters... the letters I've written to you over the years."

"Mom..." Sam, too, found herself flooded with emotion.

"Every year on your birthday I have pulled them out to give you... And every year I put them back." She admitted, "I guess I was always worried... About making you upset... Or revisiting a part of my life that I have pushed so far away for so many years." Alexis observed carefully as Sam looked down at the letters in her hand, "you don't have to read them now... Actually I would prefer you didn't. I mean... At least not while I'm here..."

"Okay..." Sam nodded with a reassuring smile, "thank you, mom... These mean _so_ much to me."

"Well, you haven't read them yet..." Alexis chided with a wipe of a tear.

"I can't wait to read them..." She leaned in and tightly wrapped her arms around her mother, "I love you... so much."

"I love you, too. Baby girl," She kisses Sam's head before embracing her again, "Happy Birthday."

It wasn't until later that night... Long after her mother had kissed her goodnight and she was snuggled into the warm comfort of her bed, that Sam unbanded the stack of letters and pulled one out to read. It didn't take long for the tears to begin to stream down her face as she read the words of her young mother... A young mother having a conversation with the daughter she longed to know. The daughter that longed to know her too, but never even knew it.

_May 11, 1984_

_Baby girl, _

_ Happy Birthday! I can't believe you are already four years old. I expect you are growing and learning new things every day. The weather was beautiful for your special day, I hope you were able to enjoy it. I was walking in the park this afternoon and the breeze was blowing through the trees and the flowers are all in bloom. I looked over my shoulder and I saw this dark haired little girl, riding a shiny new bicycle with training wheels. She was laughing and smiling... I couldn't help but wonder if that's what you look like now. Playing with your new toys on your birthday... Laughing and smiling. Your long dark hair blowing in the wind. I'm sure you are the most beautiful sight... My precious girl. _

_ Summer is coming but there isn't really a break in site for me as I will be attending summer classes to get ahead on my studies. College is wonderful, but I am looking forward to getting these general courses out of the way so that I can delve right into the law. I can't wait until I am a respectable professional with my own life and my own security. If only you could have waited a few years to enter this world, and then I would be able to take care of you myself. Things would be so different. _

_ I miss you every day. You are my first thought when I wake up in the morning and the last before I drift to sleep. I wish more than anything that I could be with you today on your birthday... and every day. I wish I could tell you that I love you more than anything in the whole world and_

And that was it. The only signature- a small stain of a tear that ran the ink of the last word. Sam lightly ran her finger over it, before wiping her own tears from her cheeks. There was something about reading this letter that gave her a peace of mind and an insight into her mother that she could never have gotten without it. After all of these years with the ups and downs in their relationship, there was a constant truth, whether she was always able to accept it or not. Her mother has loved her every day since the day she was born. And she always will.


	3. Mother's Day: Final Part

**A/N: Here is the last part to this first installment. Hopefully there will be another installment on it's way soon. :) **

**Thank you for reading and reviewing. I'm glad I can offer some enjoyment for us usually starving Davis Girl fans... although things seem to be looking up on the show, at least for the time being. **

**Enjoy! :) **

Part III

"Go ahead..." Alexis could hear Sam whispering.

"It's okay," Sam stifled her chuckle as her son looked back at her skeptically from where he was sitting on the bed beside his sleeping grandmother.

"Come on, Danny," Molly cajoled, pointing to her mother, "come up here and wake her up! Just poke her a little…"

"He's a good boy... he knows better." Alexis could no longer keep from smiling as she sleepily let them know she was awake before rolling over to greet her now smiling grandson at her side. She brushed a hand along his cheek, "Don't you, baby?"

"Happy Mother's Day!" All three girls cheered, bringing Alexis' gaze to them where Sam and Molly stood on either side of Kristina who was holding a tray of breakfast items and a large mug of coffee.

"Aww! You brought me breakfast in bed?" She smiled brightly as she sat up in bed and the girls approached to bring her the meal tray, "thank you so much!"

"It's Mother's Day and you deserve it!" Molly smiled as she leaned over to hug her mother, her two sisters following suit soon after.

"You sure do." Sam held on a little longer, "We are so lucky to have you…to know you."

Alexis closed her eyes at her daughter's words, "I'm the lucky one."

"Dig in!" Kristina exclaimed excitedly.

"The eggs and bacon were Kristina's contribution." Sam smiled, "I made the coffee."

"Oh, strong. Just the way I like it." She savored her first sip, "what about all of you? Did you have breakfast? It's Sam's Mother's Day too, you know."

Molly rolled her eyes at her mother's reminder, "we know, mom. We just wanted to treat you first since you are not only the mother but the _grand_mother..."

"Oh, gee..." Alexis chuckled playfully before turning to Danny who had just swiped a piece of toast from her plate and began munching, "hey, you're a toast thief!"

"Num?" Danny happily offered the bitten and slobbered end.

"No, sweetheart. You can have it." Alexis chuckled before taking another sip of her coffee, "well, I think it's Sam's turn."

"No, mom... Enjoy your breakfast," she protested as she watched her mother set the tray on her nightstand before getting up and lifting Danny into her arms.

"Come here my little breakfast bandit," his grandmother smiled as she kissed his head, "let's go get mommy's present."

The three girls watched their mother and Danny exit the room before looking amongst each other and to the rather large rectangular gift resting on the other side of the dresser.

"Kristina, put it in the closet before she gets back!" As Molly ushered her sister to hiding the gift, Sam turned to find her son carefully toddling back into the room with one hand holding his grandmothers and the other holding a card that now had buttery finger prints on it. He quickly offered it to her with a smile.

"For me? Thank you so much, baby." Sam enthused as she took the card and a seat on the edge of her mother's bed. She chuckled as she watched Danny take his half eaten piece of toast back from his grandmother, before she lifted him onto the bed beside her. The card was colorful and when she opened it, music poured out to the melody of _You Are My Sunshine._ "Aww..."

"Here is your present, too..." Alexis smiled and threw a wink to Molly as she handed over the wrapped box that was quickly unwrapped and met with a teary smile at its unveiling.

"Oh my god... This is so beautiful! It's my baby's little hands and feet!" Sam cried as she pulled Danny onto her lap, kissing his head, she looked up to her mother and sisters, "thank you so much. How did you do this?"

"It was a kit," Molly answered happily, "it took mom and I both to control Danny long enough to do it, but we did it!"

"You sure did. Thank you all so much. I love this." Sam sniffled, admiring her gift again before leaning into her son, "okay, now I think it's time for grandma's present, huh? "

"You made me breakfast, that's enough!" Alexis protested as Molly pushed her to sit on the bed and Kristina brought over the large flat wrapped gift, "what is this?"

"Open it!" Kristina encouraged with a grin, watching as her mother ripped it open.

"Oh!" Alexis gasped, looking around at the group, with tears in her eyes, before looking back to the large multi-picture frame in front of her. The middle was a large square and surrounding were 5 smaller squares in various sizes. Included was a photo of the three girls with Danny, then just the girls together, just Sam and Danny, and then just Molly and Kristina. Their mother was overcome with emotion, "I can't believe this..."

"The middle is where the picture of all of us will go!" Molly exclaimed happily.

Sam observed her mother carefully, "do you like it?"

"Do I like it?" Alexis questioned tearfully, "I love it. It's the best gift you could have ever given me. Come here!" She opens her arms and is quickly engulfed by her family. Nothing could possibly be better than this.

"Well, I'm glad you like it," Kristina remarked as their mother held them in her arms, "Because not to rush or anything, but we have a photography appointment in two hours."

"You girls don't waste any time, do you?" Alexis winked as they broke away and she wiped her tears.

"Well, we figured if we didn't make the appointment right away, it would never get done." Sam smiled, "Besides, it will be even extra special because we will always remember that we took the picture on Mother's Day."

"You are so right, my darling daughters. Thank you so much." Alexis replied again through her tears, looking amongst her daughters and grandson, "This means so much…"

* * *

"Get her, Danny!" Alexis enthused as she and Sam sat in the living room, surrounding Danny who was playing "tickle monster" with his aunt Molly.

"Oh, no! Tickle monster Danny!" Molly exclaimed in mock horror as her little nephew practically threw himself on top of her in a giggly tickling frenzy.

"You know, who needs television when you have this?" Kristina commented as she entered the living room with three cups of tea, handing two of them off to her mom and sister.

"Thank you baby," Alexis took her young daughter's hand as she sat beside her on the sofa, "And I agree. Between Molly and Danny… we are being pretty well entertained."

"I don't know how-ahh!" Molly screamed as Danny crashed into her.

"Be careful of Aunt Molly, Danny…" Sam warned as she shook her head, "He gets a little excited sometimes."

"But he's always careful, right Danny?" Molly smiled as she kissed his cheek and he giggled again.

"He tries," Sam smiles before setting her cup of tea on the table, "Come here, little boy. I think it's time to settle down a bit."

"So," Molly kisses her nephew's cheek as she releases him to toddle into his mother's arms, before she joins her own on the sofa, "I hope that you two had a good mother's day…"

"I certainly did," Alexis kisses her head as Sam did the same to her boy.

"I did too," She smiled, cuddling Danny close, "Thank you guys so much for everything. Not just today… but yesterday… and every day. You all help me out so much, and I just hope you know how much I appreciate it."

"You're our sister," Kristina reminded softly, "We would do anything for you."

"Oh," Alexis teared up, "I love my girls so much… and my little boy."

Everyone laughed when Danny threw her a skeptical look, as if he thought he would be left out.

"We love you too," Sam smiled as she stood from her chair and leaned over to place a kiss to her mother's cheek, "I'm going to go get this little one ready for bed and pack up our things. We should probably get going soon."

"Okay, honey." Alexis smiled before kissing Danny's cheek and watching them leave the room.

"I wish Sam still lived with us…" Molly sighed as she snuggled in closer to her mother.

"I do too… but she has her own home with Danny and now Rafe. They have their routine."

"Yeah…" Kristina chided, "And we certainly couldn't have Rafe living here with you…"

"Kristina!" Molly glared at her sister, prompting their mother to eye them carefully.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing…" Kristina covered, "Just saying…"

"Kristina's just being stupid." Molly sighed, "I'm going to go take a shower."

Alexis watched her youngest leave the room and then promptly turned back to Kristina, "What the hell is going on?"

"Nothing, mom." She shook her head, taking a drink of tea, "I shouldn't have said anything."

"Kristina, if there is something I should know about what is going on with your sister and her friend Rafe, I suggest you tell me right now."

"Mom, calm down. There is nothing you should know. Molly and Rafe are friends. That's it." Kristina reassured before noticing Sam reenter with Danny's bags and a pajama clad little boy, "Aw! You ready for night-night Danny baby?"

"Shouldn't he be at least a year old before he starts the terrible twos?" Sam sighed as she set her bag down and her mother lifted Danny onto her lap.

"What's the matter baby?" Alexis held him close, "Did you have a little tantrum?"

"He hates being dressed. It's the new thing." Sam rolls her eyes, taking a seat on the coffee table in front of them.

"You were like that, too," Alexis smiled to Kristina, "You were happiest when you were running around the house naked."

"Some things never change…" Sam rolled her eyes before getting a shove from her sister.

"Shut up, Samantha." Kristina scolded before her cell phone rang.

"Oooo… who is that?" Her sister teased.

"It's no one…" Kristina tried to cover but Alexis could tell her daughter wanted to answer the call.

"Go ahead, honey… Answer it!"

"Okay… I'll be right back." Kristina got up to leave before Sam stopped her.

"Hey… Danny and I are going to go…" She stood and hugged her sister, "We'll see you tomorrow, though, right?"

"Yes!" Kristina smiled, "Bye Danny!" She waved before leaving the room.

"Well, thank you for spending the day here with us." Alexis smiled to her daughter before kissing Danny and then handing him over to her, "I know today wasn't easy for you…"

"You know what? It was really a great day. And I have you all to thank for that. I couldn't have asked for a better first mother's day than to spend it with my mom and my sisters and my little boy."

"I'm so glad, sweetie." Alexis felt her eyes sting with tears as she caressed her daughter's face. "I love you."

"Love you, too, mom." Sam smiled as she put her bag over her shoulder, then leaned in to Danny, "Say bye-bye to grandma. Can you blow kisses?"

"Bye sweetie," Alexis smiled, kissing his cheek as he put his hand to his mouth and released with a bright smile, "Good job! Thank you for my kiss!"

As they headed towards the door, Sam turned for a moment back to her mother, "I'll call you tomorrow. Kristina is watching Danny."

"Okay. Drive carefully." Alexis smiled from the doorway and waved, watching as her daughter and grandson headed to their car. With a sigh, she closed the door and headed back to the sofa where she noticed something peeking out from under the place mat on the coffee table. She carefully pulled it out, revealing the _Mom _written on the front. She took a seat and opened it carefully.

_May 12, 2013_

_Mom, _

_ Happy Mother's Day! I can only hope that today was as perfect for you as it was for me. I couldn't have asked for a better day than one spent with my baby boy, my little sisters, and you- my mom. It's days like this that remind me of how lucky I really am. So many Mother's days I've spent being envious of those around me that were spending the day either celebrating being a mother or being a daughter. For a long time, I couldn't relate to either of those things. Now I have both. Sometimes I can't believe it- most of the time I can't believe it. I am so blessed. _

_ Some say that you don't know what you're missing… but I think I always have. Through everything I have been through… everything that we have been through together… I was always looking for this. I was looking for you- and what I wanted more than anything was simple, but seemed like such a far away dream. I wanted my mom. And now I have her… and that means more to me than I could ever say. _

_ When I think about what might have been… if I hadn't come to Port Charles… if we had never met- it's almost too much to handle. I can't imagine my life without you- it's as simple as that. You have shown me what family is… what it really means to have someone there for you through it all. Even when I didn't deserve it. You've shown me time and again what unconditional love is and although it has taken me a while- I can trust that now. _

_ I guess this is just my way of saying thank you. Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for being my mom. _

_ I love you, _

_ Sam._

_P.S. On my fourth birthday, a neighbor gave me their daughter's handed down pink Barbie bicycle with training wheels and I rode it all day- every day. _

_P.P.S. Look in the envelope. _

Alexis anxiously sniffed her tears to no avail; her now hiccupping sobs took over as she shuffled back to the envelope and pulled out a small square photo. A smiling little girl with long dark hair, riding her bicycle.

"My little girl…" Alexis cried as she ran her hand along the picture before flipping it over to find Sam's handwriting on the back, "_One of the few photos that were taken- one of the few I still have. I guess I was saving it for you. J"_She managed a deep breath through her staggering sobs and settled herself on the sofa holding the picture and letter against her chest. Best Mother's Day, ever.


	4. The Aftermath

**A/N: As usual, I was thoroughly let down by the lack of follow up with Sam and Alexis after Danny's kidnapping so I thought that I would take it upon myself to write what I thought should have happened. I hope you all enjoy it. :) **

The Aftermath

Alexis had been pacing the floor for what felt like days as Nikolas tried his best to distract her from her worry. Not only had she spent most of the night beating herself up over not being able to remember the name of Sam's father, but she just found out that her grandson was kidnapped- yet again- after they had left him sleeping in his room earlier that afternoon. Kidnapped by his psychopathic "uncle"… would they ever catch a break?

"We never should have left…" She stopped by the window and looked out, crossing her arms to try to stay calm.

"How would we have known…"

"I knew that Franco was here! And thinking he was Jason, no less!" Alexis exclaimed, throwing her arms up as she turned around.

"Alexis…"

"No, if I wasn't so damned preoccupied with trying to clean up my own seriously screwed up mess, I would have had enough presence in mind to realize that."

"You really need to stop this. There is no reason for you to blame yourself for all of this! I mean, Sam didn't think there was a problem to leave him, either…"

"Because it's my job to be rational now… I'm supposed to make sure that everything is okay for both of them. And now I've failed at that, too." She swallowed hard and looked away from her nephew. Away from his comfort and the look on his face that showed just how he pitied her in this moment. She pitied herself.

"Alexis… you need to try and think logically over your emotions right now. I know that it's difficult," He placed a hand on her shoulder and felt her hiccup at his touch in an attempt to retain composure, "Look at me…"

"What?" Looking up at him, the weariness was heavy on her face as she watched the warmth wash over her nephew's.

"You are an amazing mother…"

"Nikolas…" Tears filled her eyes.

"No… I want you to listen to me. You are an amazing mother, the most loving grandmother, and the best aunt anybody could ever ask for." Nikolas smiled softly, wiping a tear from her cheek, "You are doing the best that you can… you always do. Don't lose sight of the fact that it's all any of us can do. Just love them, and be there for them just as you always are and you are light years ahead of the rest of the human race."

"You're too good to me…" She sniffled with a small chuckle as she wiped away her tears.

"As you are to me." Wrapping his arms around her, the Cassadine aunt and nephew embraced. It wasn't until the door opened that they broke away and turned quickly to find Dante escorting Sam with a sleeping Danny in her arms back into the room.

"Oh, thank God!" Alexis let out a sigh of relief greeting her daughter with a careful hug and a kiss on the head as to not wake the sleeping baby.

"Hey, mom…" Sam mustered a small smile before kissing Danny's head and placing him carefully back into the crib.

"Dante, thank you so much for bringing them back safely…"

"Sure," Dante nodded as Sam turned to face him, "I hope Danny gets better real soon. I'm praying for him. He's a really great little boy."

"Thank you," Sam smiled through her tired eyes, "Thanks for everything Dante."

"No problem." With a nod the detective left the room, closing the door carefully behind him.

Alexis watched as Sam's shoulders fell and she turned, meeting eyes with her- tired eyes that were filled with exhaustion and fear. Without a second glance, Alexis enveloped her in her arms leaving Nikolas to look on fondly.

"I'm going to call the house and check on Spencer…"

"Okay," Alexis nodded as Sam looked up to her cousin.

"Nikolas… Thank you. Thank you so much for being here."

"Of course. I'm glad I can be." He smiled before turning and leaving the room.

"Honey…" Alexis met eyes with her daughter, "I'm so sorry. I should have never left this room."

"Oh no, mom," Sam protested, "It's not your fault. If anything I should have known better. I'm just glad Danny's okay."

Alexis followed Sam to the crib where they both inspected the little boy, "Did he see a doctor yet?"

"Silas was with me… when we found Danny and Franco."

"_You_ found them? I thought the police…" Alexis looked curiously at her daughter, "Boy did I miss a lot tonight."

"I'm sorry… I should have called you… or…" Sam shook her head.

"It's all right. I'm sure you barely had time to think," Alexis ran her hand along the back of her daughter's head in comfort and stopped with she felt a rough surface, "Sam?"

"What?"

"Is there…" Alexis gasped when she pulled up her daughter's hair and saw the six small stitches lining the cut on the back of her head, "What happened to your head?!"

"It's nothing…" She brushed her off as she walked away from the crib and over to the diaper bag, but her mother followed.

"Why do you have stitches!?"

"I hit my head…" She looked up at her mother and sighed in defeat, knowing that she wasn't going to accept that, "Franco knocked me out."

"What?! That crazy bastard!"

"He took Danny to the Penthouse and I figured it out so I went there. I found him there but Danny was upstairs and before I could get upstairs to get him, Franco knocked me out. That's when he took Danny and went to the bridge."

"Oh my God…" She covered her mouth and brushed a hand along her daughter's cheek, "As if your baby being sick isn't enough, he had to get kidnapped by a psychopath again."

"I know…" Sam rolled her eyes, turning to leaf through the diaper bag.

"Is there anything I can d-"

"No, mom." Sam cut her off, "There's nothing you can do. There's nothing I can do. Nothing! Absolutely nothing that we can do to save my son."

Alexis was taken aback but watched as the tears flooded her daughter's eyes and her face reddened, "Sam…"

"No, I can't… I can't be comforted anymore." She shook her head, as the tears fell faster. She moved away from her mother to sat in the large arm chair, "This isn't about me. My little boy… my little boy could get cheated out of life and there is not a damn thing I can do to fix it. He's sick… he's exhausted and sick and I can't make it better. I can't make him better!" She was trying not to scream and trying not to break into sobs but when her mother wrapped her arms around her, she could no longer hold back.

"It's okay… I'm right here." She soothed as she cradled her crying daughter in her arms.

"I just want to make him better, mom. I'm his mother .I'm supposed to be able to make everything better for him. I'm supposed to protect him."

"Oh, you do protect him," Alexis felt her own tears begin to fall as she struggled to reassure her daughter, "You are the best mother… and he's so lucky that he has you to take care of him. You are doing everything you can."

"And it's not good enough." She cried, "None of it is good enough."

"I'm so sorry…" Her mother cried as she sat beside her and rocked her in her arms, "I'm so sorry this is happening to Danny and to you. I'm so sorry that I can't help you… If I only knew your father's name none of this would be happening."

"You don't know that, mom." Sam shook her head, "You don't know that. I didn't mean to make you feel like…"

"You didn't." She kissed Sam's head before leaning back to look into her face, "You didn't make me feel any way at all… but the facts are the facts and I just can't tell you how sorry I am that I let things happen this way." Choking back her tears, they sat back again in the chair, "You don't deserve this. Danny doesn't deserve it…"

"You don't deserve it either," Her daughter sniffled and her voice grew weary, "Please, don't blame yourself…"

"Sam…"

"I don't know what I would do without you… especially now."

"I just wish…" Alexis sighed.

"It's not your fault…" Sam reassured her mother sleepily as she rested against her shoulder, "I love you, mom."

"I love you, too…" Alexis bit her lip to hold back the tears, "I love you so much."

* * *

Looking at her watch, she gathered it had probably been about two hours since Sam fell asleep. Two hours that she had been left in the silence of her own loud thoughts. Nikolas had come back into the room and she sent him home to be with Spencer for what was left of the night. It looked like it was going to be a long one, but she could only hope that Sam would continue to rest. She had gotten up from the chair about an hour into her daughter's slumber so that it could be reclined and more comfortable for her. With a blanket and a pillow, she hoped that the makeshift bed would be enough to a lot her exhausted child a couple hours of solid rest.

For her, it was another story. She couldn't stop trying to wrack her brain to remember about Sam's father. Nikolas' words played over and over in her head that if she could just remember one thing that maybe other memories would come flooding back. It seemed impossible but yet she couldn't give up. Turning away from the window, a wistful smile crossed her face, at the sleeping baby in the crib. The baby that they had thought they lost, until he was brought back to them and brought more joy into their lives than they could have ever dreamed of. As she rested against the wall by the window, she felt the emotion rise in her throat. Danny had brightened all of their lives. How she loved his curious little face that was always so intent and alert, listening to every word that was said around him. She never thought that being a grandmother would be so wonderful, but it certainly was- especially to her precious boy. She wanted nothing more than to take away all of the pain from Danny and from Sam. If she could only remember… if she could only bring Sam what she wanted and needed more than anything else right now- her father.

A slight stirring brought her attention back to the crib where she found Danny sitting up, rubbing his eyes fiercely before he began to whimper. She watched him carefully, not wanting to wake him further if he was going to fall back to sleep, but that plan was ended when the little boy finally spotted her in the corner of the room, immediately lifting his arms to be held, his whimpers intensifying.

"Okay, little one…" Alexis soothed with a small smile as she wiped a tear and made her way to the crib. As she got closer the pout on his face became more visible and the crocodile tears that were brimming his eyes broke her heart. "Shh… shh. Come here, baby." She lifted him into her arms, kissing his cheek and holding it close for a moment to be sure to check for a fever. His temperature seemed to be normal.

"What's the matter, honey?" She studied him carefully, carrying him towards the window. She cradled the back of his head in her hand, "You're just not tired anymore? I think you probably are…" She smiled as he studied her mouth, bringing his tiny hand to her lips to trace their outline with his finger. Kissing it caused him to smile, a small giggle escaping from behind his pacifier.

"Oh, Danny. I'm so sorry…" Alexis felt herself growing emotional as she hugged her grandson close, "I wish I could make this all better for you and your mommy." She cried as she rocked him, "I love you so much."

The little boy leaned back into view of her face.

"Do you know how much?" She smiled through her tears, turning to guide his gaze out the window, "We could say… to the moon and back. Or more than all the stars in the sky, because there is an infinite amount of stars." She pointed out the window, "Do you see all of the stars up there?"

Danny smiled again, looking from the outside to his grandmother's face before resting his head on her shoulder as she rocked back and forth. He lightly shifted a small section of her hair between his two fingers.

"Do you have any idea how much you mean to this family, little one?" Alexis soothed, shifting her weight from side to side, "You are so special… and you have so many people that love you and want to help you."

Alexis looked down when he yawned kissing his head softly, "I just wish I could…"

"Mom?" Sam's sleepy voice sounded from the chair.

Her mother turned to face her, revealing a now sleeping Danny on her shoulder, "You all right? How's your head?"

"It's fine… I'm fine." Sam smiled softly, rising from the chair she gestured to her son, "He's asleep."

"I thought so," She smiled, "He had one good yawn so I figured that was probably it."

"Is he okay?" Sam was suddenly concerned as she ran a hand along her son's face.

"He's fine… just woke up a little unaware of his surroundings, I think." Alexis smiled, "He probably would have gone back to sleep if he didn't see me standing over here."

"Yeah… he did that last night, too." Sam responded sadly, "Was he awake long?"

"Not really… I think he just needed to know we were here."

"My poor boy. He's been through so much…" Sam grew teary as she continued to caress his cheek, "He doesn't know what to think anymore."

"He knows that we love him." She hugged Sam with her free arm, resting her head atop hers, "That's the most important thing."


End file.
